Dawson City: Why this Remote Yukon Town is Worth a Visit

Flying over Dawson City where the latte -colored Yukon meets the clear waters of the Klondike River.

City won’t let go of the past. And that’s a good thing.

On a hot August day in 1896, gold was discovered in the Yukon near swampland that would later be known as Dawson City, and the Gold Rush was on. In less than two years, the population exploded from a handful of prospectors and First Nations people to over 30,000 souls—seventy thousand hopefuls turned back or lost their lives en route.

They dreamed of striking it reach but, alas, most did not. By the time the word got in 1897 out that there was gold in them thar hills, most of the land had already been claimed. Wannabe millionaires became bar owners and ship builders or whatever else serviced the miners. A few years later, word of a gold strike in Alaska prompted another mad dash and Dawson’s population dwindled.

Today, the year-round locals number under 1,400, but the spirit of the Gold Rush is alive and well. The city banks on its history and travelers reap the benefits. Colorful frontier-styled buildings (some original, most reconstructed) line the dusty streets and there’s an array of history-centric activities that pay homage to the town’s heyday.

Think Westworld light with real locals not androids and a smattering of kitsch.

Frontier style buildings that harken back to the gold rush days

An adorable little home. Don’t know if it is original but loved it anyway.

The original Post office

A big draw is the spectacular wilderness that surrounds Dawson City. There are dozens of hiking trails and a variety of outdoor activities for visitors to enjoy. And don’t bother looking for a Starbuck’s or McDonald’s or any other international franchise, you won’t find them here. Dawson prefers to support local businesses.

Dawson’s high season is May thru September and from my experience it’s a wild ride. Granted, I was there during its 39th Music Festival, a popular weekend and more rowdy than others. But in the land of the midnight sun, locals and tourists alike end up burning candles at both ends, even if they don’t mean to. I found myself out past midnight more than once even though I got up every morning at six. I wasn’t doing anything wild or crazy, I was just out. My brain saw 3:00pm daylight at 11:30pm and my body said “You’re not sleepy, lets stay up!” The late nights caught up with me once I was home however. My first day back I slept 14 hours.

A few revelers enjoying the Dawson City Music Festival on a Saturday Night — taken at 11:30pm.

When I asked some of the locals how they survived all the late nights in a summer, with a smirk and shrug, the frigid winter seemed to be favored the answer. “Everyone is so exhausted from the summer we don’t mind that It’s freezing and there’s nowhere to go and nothing to do,” one local told me. “It’s the human equivalent of hibernation.”

The People

As much as the city serves up its past, there’s more to Dawson than its history. It’s blessed with a quirky population whose passion for the city is infectious.

When I asked why Dawson their answers were similar: a passion for nature, love of the close-knit community, and another feeling they found hard to articulate. It netted out somewhere in the realm of Dawson spoke to them. “I can’t really say what it is,” one man told me. “I came here and I didn’t want to leave.” Something about Dawson grabs people and doesn’t let go.

Artist Monica Creep who I met at the Saturday Artists’ Market

In addition to the summer influx of tourists (huge Holland America buses roll in and out all the time), there’s a slew of free-spirited, artsy millennials, drawn to the city by SOVA, the Yukon’s School of Visual Arts, the long-running Dawson City Music Festival, arts festivals, and the romance of honing their craft in a remote location.

Monica Creep, a 23-year old musician and sketch artist who prefers the pronoun “they”, first came to Dawson four years ago on a whim.

“My band mate came up here to go to SOVA, and I was like, I’m living in Toronto, I have a car, I’ll drive you to the Yukon.”

Monica fell in love with Dawson and its bevy of like-minded artists they said inspired them from the start. Their friend left after a year but Monica was hooked enough to brave a subarctic winter living out of their van. This year however, they look forward to the warmth of a cabin they’ve secured for the cold weather.

Sue Taylor, an interpreter with Parks Canada

Sue Taylor, a vivacious fifty-three-year-old Texan with a deep, nasal voice and a rapid fire cadence that made my head spin, hitchhiked to Dawson in 1982 when she was 18. “I did a lot of partying when I came here,” She said. “All we wanted to do was drink and party and dance and run around all day because you could. No rules. Live in a tent, just camp and camp and camp. I spent my first winter in a wool tent. Don’t need to do that again.”

As with many others, Sue fell in love with Dawson. She’s worked various mining jobs including running a drill, but eight years ago she began interpreting for Parks Canada leading walking tours in period costumes. I met Sue on the Strange Things Done tour, a really interesting hour and a half filled with historical anecdotes and funny stories dating back to the gold rush. The experience was made all the more entertaining by Sue’s animated story-telling.

Brad Whitelaw on the upper deck of his Klondike Spirit Paddle Wheeler

Brad Whitelaw, a local business magnate who owns the Klondike Spirit Paddlewheeler, the popular Triple J Hotel, and a hunting outfitter, came to Dawson as a young man and hasn’t looked back. Brad loves Dawson’s extremes. “Six months from now, this place will be the polar opposite.” And he meant that literally. He also loves that he can fly to Vancouver in a few hours or drive into the wilderness and be completely alone. “I embrace the extremes.” If you’re a reality show fan, Brad appeared twice as himself in the 2017 season on Gold Rush Alaska.

Caveman Bill waving to us while we pass by his home (aka cave) on the Klondike Spirit

One of the more colorful Dawsonians is Caveman Bill. I didn’t meet Bill, but he waved to us as we passed his “home” while cruising on the Klondike Spirit. The first thing I wanted to know was whether he was looney, or some sad misanthrope who gave up on life to live in the wild. Turns out he’s nothing so dramatic. He’s just a regular guy who 18 years ago decided to try living in a cave and liked it. I’m told he’s fixed it up with some modern conveniences such as lighting and a door. Bill has become a bit of a tourist celebrity, but makes his way as a handyman and woodworker, and I saw him occasionally in Dawson chatting up friends.

Things to Do

By no means is the list below definitive. There’s a ton of other things to do such as golf, canoeing and other outdoor activities, but I didn’t experience them personally. Here is a list of options from the tourist board.

When you first arrive, I recommend stopping at the Visitor information Center on Front Street, the city’s main drag that runs parallel to the Yukon River. It’s better than most I’ve been to. The staff is helpful and there’s a lot of information readily available on what you can see and do in Dawson. It’s a great way to orient yourself and figure out your game plan.

The Klondike Spirit Paddle Wheeler

In the gold rush days there were hundreds of paddlewheelers on the Yukon River, transporting people and supplies back and forth from Whitehorse (the capital), but no more. The Klondike Spirit, built-in the early 2000’s, is alone on the water. I took a low-key cruise on the Spirit on a gorgeous summer morning. The ship’s interpreter, Yasmine, regaled all the passengers with stories of Dawson’s history and the First Nations people who were there long before anyone else. It was a nice way to learn about the city’s past while enjoying a bit of sunshine and spectacular views.

The Klondike Spirit dwarfed by the mountains flanking the Yukon River

Hiking

I didn’t have time to explore multiple trails (you can find a list here) but I did go on a nice jaunt my first afternoon with Mattias Macaphee from the Klondike Experience. He was very nice and a bit of a hipster (man bun, skinny jeans rolled up at the ankle, glasses and beard). He familiarized us with the city with a brief walk through the streets, painting a picture of the early days when the gold rush first took hold of the region.

Afterward, we took the Crocus hike, an easy 1.5-hour journey through the woods behind the city to a lookout point where we could see the convergence of the Klondike and Yukon Rivers.

Matthias Macaphee, our wonderful hipster interpreter.

In the gold rush days, Dawson was much larger. The thick woods that stand at the base of the mountain now was cleared and the land used for prospector tents, shanties and cabins. If you look hard enough while walking through the trees, you may find some period artifacts. According to Matthias they’re everywhere.

We checked out a series of cemeteries, though the visit isn’t typically part of the Crocus tour. (I love old cemeteries) One cross read: “Alphonse Constantine. Murdered 1902. Buried June 1, 1904.” You know there’s a story there.

A grave marker from 1899 in one of the cemeteries we visited on our hike

St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetary

A faded wooded grave marker dated 1895

Grave Marker in St. Mary’s Catholic Church

The cemeteries were a mix of old, restored and remarked graves. Some were segmented by religion or whether they were public or private lots. For a place so connected to its history it seemed fitting to spend some time there.

(I found some very interesting information about who’s buried in each cemetery after the trip. I wish I’d had it with me when we were exploring. If you go, you may want to print it out and have it with you.

Hike Tip: Everyone (tourists and locals alike) told me they loved the Ninth Avenue trail. A 2.5 km, scenic route that overlooks the city. Unfortunately, my schedule was a little crazy and I didn’t get a chance to try it.

Hike Tip 2: The sidewalk that runs along the Yukon River off Front Street is a lovely stroll any time of day.

Sternwheeler Graveyard

In the early days, paddle boats (Sternwheelers they used to call them) were the mains source of transportation to and from Dawson. As the years passed and roads were built connecting Dawson to the outside world, the boats became obsolete. In the 1950’s, the paddle boat business failed, companies went bankrupt and the owners abandoned their ships on the side of the Yukon where they’ve remained ever since.

There are seven Sternwheelers in the graveyard in various stages of decay. I’ve always found abandoned things and places fascinating and knew once I heard about the graveyard I’d have to check it out.

If you go, wear closed toe shoes, there’s a lot of jagged pieces and nails in the wrecks and hidden underneath the foliage. Keep your eyes peeled.

How to get there: Walk to the free George Black Ferry that connects Dawson City with West Dawson and the Top of the World Highway, across the Yukon. It takes about 10 minutes. Walk along the main road for a minute or two until you see a campground on your right. Walk through the campground until it ends where you’ll see a yellow gate to your right next to the shore. Go around the gate, turn left and walk along the water a few minutes and it’s right there. If you take a Klondike Spirit cruise beforehand, the boat idles by the graveyard for a little while and it will give you a sense of where it’s located on the river.

The Midnight Dome

View from the Midnight Dome

For those partial to scenic views or photographic opportunities, the Midnight Dome, a spot atop the mountain towering over Dawson, is a great location. I went in the morning which was beautiful, though shadows were a bit frustrating. If you visit in the afternoon you’ll stare into the sun. The Klondike Experience offers 1.5 hour tours at night between 7:00pm – 8:15pm and 8:30pm and 9:45pm. It’s still bright but not blinding.

The view encompasses the city below and miles of lush forest and rivers beyond. If you have a car, take Dome Road all the way to the top, otherwise take a taxi or go with a scheduled tour. You could walk but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re training for a major marathon. It’s a very long, uphill route.

Flightseeing over the Tombstone Territorial Park

I love aerial views of beautiful places, whether by helicopter, hot air balloon, or small plane. I’ve never been disappointed. It’s rarely cheap but if you’re budget allows and you can splurge on something, make it flightseeing.

The Tombstone Territorial Park is a short flight northeast of Dawson—a mountain range named after its resemblance to grave markers. The morning I went, the sky was thick with dark clouds and smoke from distant forest fires. Together they cast a veil over the mountains that made the jagged rocks and ragged peaks look like a scene out of Game of Thrones. It had wonderful haunting and sinister beauty. Occasionally, the sky would brighten and subtle hues of pink, green and rust would emerge on the mountainsides below. We went with Great River Air. Our pilot looked like he was 16 but he knew his stuff and we had a great time.

(If you love mountain flightseeing, consider a trip the Kluane National Park. It’s near White Horse. There you can see the Kaskawulsh Glacier and the largest non-polar icefield in the world.)

Saturday Green Market/ Artist’s Market

Every Saturday during the season, local artists and farmers sell their goods in two adjoining markets that include the Community Events shelter on Front Street next to the Yukon River. It’s small and easily navigable. Most of the artist’s work was handmade jewelry, much of which had a mystical or First Nations theme. Megan Creep (see above in “People”) a sketch artist, sold pieces of silkscreened fabric with her drawings on it. There was also an industrious masseuse who brought a large tent for privacy complete with a fan.

A farmer sells his produce at the Artist/Farmer’s market

Saturday Artist’s/Farmer’s Market

Diamond Tooth Gertie’s Gambling Hall

Diamond Tooth Gerties at 10:30pm at night. Welcome to the land of the midnight sun

No visit to Dawson would be complete without a night at Diamond Tooth Gerties, Canada’s first legal casino. It’s a hoot.

I’m not a gambler and hate Las Vegas, but I still had fun. Gertie’s is owned by the Klondike Visitor’s Association and all the proceeds are invested back into the community. There was the usual: black jack, poker and roulette tables and a few banks of slot machines—I”m amazed how addictive those things seem to be. People sat for hours like button-pushing zombies. As you would expect, the interior was period decor with huge chandeliers a balcony and staff wore costumes straight out of central casting.

Gertie’s puts on three different shows every night (8pm, 10pm and midnight from May – September) that get a little racier as the night goes on. The entire cast is only six people but they give it their all. Is the production Broadway quality? Not even close. It was a bit silly but that was half of the fun.

Dawson City Music Festival

I didn’t attend the music festival. Before you say, what?!!! It was only coincidence that I was there at the same time. My objective was to get to know Dawson City. I experienced the festival from afar. I talked to musicians who were in town to perform and I often heard acoustic acts playing at outdoor venues when I explored. There’s no doubt the festival added a jubilant vibe to the place, and those I knew who went had a good time.

Places to eat

There are many restaurants scattered throughout Dawson but Front Street is a great place to start if you’re looking for ideas.

Places I recommend:

On Front Street: I had a fantastic turkey club at CheechakosBakeshop. If you’re hankering for Fish n’ Chips try Sourdough Joes. There’s the classic version with Cod (my favorite), or with Halibut, and of course French fries.

The Aurora Inn restaurant on 5th Avenue had delicious poutine (that’s French fries smothered in cheese curds and gravy for all Americans like me who hadn’t heard of this Canadian delight), and veal schnitzel with mushroom sauce. Yum!

Fish n’ Chips at Sourdough Joes

I’m a big chicken wings fan but I usually take them with BBQ or hot sauce. At the Westmark Inn restaurant, a friend suggested I try a Canadian wings favorite: honey & garlic. I dream about them now. So. Good.

Places that were meh…

The Druken Goat a Greek restaurant, also on Front Street. Cute little place but the ribs I had were hard and tasteless, and while I get that I was there during a festival it still doesn’t excuse that a few people within our party of 10 were served a good 15-20 minutes after everyone else. Other people liked it but I was not impressed.

I had a very disappointing scoop of Cookies n’ Cream at Klondike Cream & Candy. It was bland, watery, more ice milk than ice cream. In its defense, there was always a line out the door so maybe my experience was a fluke.

Places to Drink

The Westminster Hotel: The Pit (tavern & lounge)

There’s nothing like a good dive bar and The Pit, as its affectionately called, is a great one. Just the right mix of seedy and cool with good live music, a pool table, and a relaxed vibe.

The Westminster Hotel – home of The Pit

It’s home is the Westminster Hotel, a large, bubblegum pink building on Third Avenue with a history that dates back to the 1930’s. Some of the building is as old as the gold rush when it was the headquarters for the Klondike Thawing Machine company. I’m told the structure is condemned—not that it’s about to fall down. At least I don’t think it is. They say to bring it up to code would be too expensive. It would make more sense to tear it down and start over, but no one wants to do that. Part of the lounge’s charm is it’s sloping ceilings and tilted floors.

The Pit Lounge

The Pitt is where all the locals (and pretty much everyone else) go to close their night. I took these photos early in the evening. By the time I left around 11:30pm, lines were starting. Be advised: if you’re not in before midnight, chances are you won’t get in.

Fyi..There’s a popup hotdog stand next door if you should get the late night munchies.

Sourdough Saloon and the Sourtoe Cocktail Club

My Sourtoe Cocktail moment.. I touched it to my lips!

My Sourtoe Cocktail Club certificates!

I would be remiss not to mention the infamous Sourtoe Cocktail. It’s more than a drink, it’s an event. In short, it’s a popular and somewhat twisted marketing gimmick that’s inspired over 70,000 people to take the Sourtoe challenge since the early 1970’s.

Here’s the deal: You down a shot of hard liquor—your choice as long as it’s 40 proof—garnished with a dehydrated human toe. (Yes, you read that right.) The challenge: you have to slam the drink and let the toe touch your lips. If it does you’re initiated into the Sourtoe Cocktail Club. You even get a certificate. Why oh why is this so popular? I have no idea. It’s one of those nutso ideas that takes off and becomes a thing.

Did I do it? Of course I did.

(More on the Sourtoe history and drink in a future post. There’s even video! ).

Where I stayed

The Downtown Hotel

I was a guest of the Downtown Hotel, a large red frontier building, much of which dates back to the Gold Rush days. It’s home to the Sourdough Saloon which makes it easy as walking downstairs to line up for the Sourtoe challenge. The location is prime. It’s a quick walk to almost anywhere. Two blocks to Front Street and the Yukon River, a block from a grocery store and two blocks from Gerties. The rooms were clean and comfortable and recently renovated. The hotel provides complimentary wifi (why doesn’t everyone?) and my room had an empty mini-fridge I stocked with diet coke. The hotel also offers guests free shuttle service to and from the airport.

Note: There’s no elevator or bellman, so if you’re on the second floor ask the front desk for some help with the baggage and they’ll happily oblige.

Dawson City Weather

Summer Season

In short, the weather is variable and you’ll want to bring layers. It was warmer than I anticipated but occasionally at night I needed a light jacket. Bring comfortable walking shoes since your feet will be your best mode of transportation.

Winter Season

Really, REALLY cold. Dawson City is a great place to see the Aurora Borealis, but not much is open in terms of tourist fare. Best time to visit is from May- September.

Final thoughts

I hadn’t heard of Dawson until this trip. To be honest, I may not have chosen it on my own. That’s why I love doing what I do. I experience places I never thought of. I have so many friends who are rigid in their thinking about travel. Only a certain kind of place with a certain level of luxury. It’s limiting. No matter how nice the poolside massage may be.

Dawson will never be for the lux-only folks, but it is for anyone with an adventurous spirit and a love of the outdoors.

I was a guest of Tourism Yukon for this trip but words and sentiment are my own.

What an awesome and well-thought out piece. As someone who’d never really considered travelling to Dawson, you have me sold. Thanks for taking the time to create such a thorough and informative article – I love how you brought the characters and place to life.

It’s a shame there are many writers out there who would have relished the opportunity you had to experience Dawson City that could have wrote something that rings original and honest about the town than what you’ve published. Who complains about food for a table of TEN (I bet you were a walk in too, no doubt) not coming at the same time during Music Fest? I’m amazed you had the fish and chips and didn’t get food sick – I used to work there and I’ve seen how food is handled there. Was it really necessary to label your guide from Husky Bus a “hipster”? Your Klondike Spirit interpreter’s name is Yasmine, not Jasmine. Megan, or Mo as they’re known as in town, actually prefers the pronoun ‘they’ not her or she. Belittling the Gertie’s dancers? Really?? Those girls dance their cute little butts off every night, three shows a night, ALL summer, smiles and all and you compare it to Broadway – seriously? Have a little respect for the choreographer and the girls who put in heart and soul into their art. The First Nations, the Tr’ondek Hwech’in were and ARE still there – it’s a shame you missed checking out their cultural centre. Also, you might want to reconsider your photo of the “revelers” not because they’re not even from Dawson, but you’ve posted on the internet a photo of people drinking open beer in public…….

Dear Jenna –
Thank you for your thoughtful commentary. I appreciate your love for Dawson and its people and to defend any slight you perceive against it. Your passion for the town is heartfelt, that is obvious, and I assume fostered over time. Unfortunately, I only had a few days and therefore was left to my immediate impressions, which as you can see from the headline was positive. I recommended that people should visit.

As to the rest, I won’t go line by line but I would like to address a few of your thoughts below.

“Who complains about food for a table of TEN (I bet you were a walk in too, no doubt) not coming at the same time during Music Fest?”

– We had a reservation. There was no line and the restaurant was not completely full when we arrived. As a patron of that restaurant, yes, I do believe a business should be able to accommodate its guests, otherwise they should have suggested we go elsewhere or not taken the reservation. I also believe that the food should be worth the price put on it. My ribs were very dry and tasteless. That was truthful. My mention of the music festival as a possible reason for the lack of quality was my attempt to give the restaurant the benefit of the doubt. But the fact remains, with us on that night, the service was not good nor was my food. That is my opinion of my experience.

“I’m amazed you had the fish and chips and didn’t get food sick – I used to work there and I’ve seen how food is handled there.”

– Not sure what you mean here. Are you suggesting that Sourdough Joe’s is not a clean restaurant? That’s where I had the Fish & Chips. Or are you still referencing The Drunken Goat? And if so, do you mean the Drunken Goat is unclean?

“Megan, or Mo as they’re known as in town, actually prefers the pronoun ‘they’ not her or she.”

—I am in contact with Monica. When we met, they did not tell me of their pronoun preference. There was no way I could have known. They and I have discussed an update which was added to the piece.

“Also, you might want to reconsider your photo of the “revelers” not because they’re not even from Dawson, but you’ve posted on the internet a photo of people drinking open beer in public…….”

–I am sorry that you are offended by an image of the individual holding a beer in public. He was not concerned about drinking an open beer in public, nor did he ask to put it down when they posed. I was capturing the moment. In addition, my interest in making their picture was to convey their energy and enthusiasm. Whether they were locals or just in for the weekend was not a factor.

Lastly, as a local, I would love for you to recommend places and activities you feel travelers should consider as I was not able to see or do everything in the time I had.

Great article, Susan! I visited Dawson a few years back and thought your article very much captured the spirit of the town and portrayed it in a positive light. I wouldn’t give much thought to Jenna’s bizarrely oversensitive criticisms. This was definitely the Dawson I know, and the personal anecdotes made it even better.

We lived in Dawson for 12 years, loved it, loved the people. Nice article. I would have included Paul’s Church, the Han information building for all things indigenous, a meal at River West and a night or a drink at Bombay Peggy’s. Visiting at the very beginning or end of season gives a different perspective, people have more time to talk.I think my heart is still in the Yukon!

Hey Carol – Thanks so much for including your picks. I was only there a short time and didn’t nearly get to try anything. I appreciate the additional options for readers.
Why did you end up leaving Dawson?

Wow another article just like every other one written about Dawson. Writing more boring than a Dawson winter… Also smack talking a local business for being busy and not up to your standards ? Nice move. Congrats on being the 4000th person to write about the sour toe.

I love your stories and pictures! Especially those about places I actually HAVE heard of – like Dawson City! – but not yet been able to travel to. For my entire life I have been interested in places all over the world but I can only do so much at one time. I heard of Dawson City a while ago already and find it very appealing. So thank you for this little insight 🙂

Hi Loren! Thank you. Unfortunately, I was only there about a half hour and it was not part of the hike. Mattias, our guide, only had basic info. That said, I included a link in that section to a pdf I found later that talks about the cemeteries and some of the people. Very interesting reading!